Current Browning / FN Hi-Power

[noonesshowmonkey]

I picked one up via CDI sales. It's an Israeli surplus without the Firing Pin Safety, which at first gave me a bout of serious indigestion. After a short moment of hand-wringing and over-analysis, panicked research, and waffling foolishly, the BHP will arrive at my FFL sometime next week (I think). For every two shooters, there seems to be three opinions about whether or not the FPS is good / bad / ugly / indifferent.

Obligatory pics of the sexy beast when it arrives.

Cheers, fellas.

[Evel Baldgui]

Sometime last year by pure chance there was a Hungarian HP clone in the 'pre-owned' display, reasonable shape and price (a bit under $300) been quite happy with it, it's range use only, accurate and smooth, and the closest I've come to the classic HP.

[Pilot1]

I have a factory Silver Chrome Browning Hi Power MKIII that I bought new in 1994. It is one of my favorite pistols, just behind my CZ's. I prefer the MKIII to other versions for a working gun due to the stronger cast frames, and a few other minor issues. If I were to buy another, however, I'd get a "C" Series with the adjustable "beer can" sights.

[m4brian]

I'd RATHER buy a HP sight seen and KNOW I'm getting a decent trigger. I was lucky enough years ago to nail one for $500 at a LPS, with a VERY good finish - MK III. The trigger was good enough feeling in the shop. Eventually, I found it had 'variable trigger'. Sometimes it staged and sometimes it didn't. It bugged me. I took out the stupid mag safety, and that helped only a tad (and in the process dinged up the frame a little). Eventually, I took it to a local 1911 smith and had a trigger job done - it took two trips and a new CS hammer and sear. Now, it is a very good trigger. Excellent? Close. It is very accurate, reliable, and light for an all steel gun. I like P99s better, and likely my CZs a tad better, but they are fine and GOOD looking 9mms. The trigger can drive you nuts, however - and for good reason - too many things going on.

I'd like to find a good tritium front and just black our the rear.

[Gunfixr]

I got one of the aim mk 2 ( damn autocorrect) guns.
It wears mk 3 sights now, trigger cleaned up, refinished.

Sent from my SGP612 using Tapatalk

[jason el cuerdo]

Once a year for the past 10+ years I start to itchin' real bad for a HP. For some reason I always talk myself out of it. After clicking on this thread I feel the 2017 edition of Hi Power Lust flaring up.

Thanks a lot.

[williejc]

Over the years I've owned several H.P.'s and none came with a good trigger, although some were better than others. That's the nature of the beast with these guns. A rule of thumb is that removing the magazine disconnect(safety)will immediately and automatically improve trigger pull. Another rule of thumb is that replacing the terribly strong 32 lb hammer spring with a lighter Wolff spring will reduce pull weight. Doing both at the same time converts a shitty trigger into a good one. Before you spend money on aftermarket hammers and sears and custom trigger work, make these changes first. I speak from experience after having done it the easy way and the expensive way. STP on the sear helps.

Reducing hammer spring weight might accelerate slide velocity. If you're concerned about this, adding a stronger recoil spring will off set any real or imagined problem. It's been said that the HP can't handle +P or +P+ ammo. With metallurgical advancements in the Mk 111 model, my opinion is that hot ammo is not a concern. That said, why strain a nice pistol with high pressure ammo? Of course, limited use of this ammo would be ok. I shoot this type ammo because I happen to have a lot of it. I'm old as dirt and not too much concerned with wearing out my pistols.

If you have small children or adult morons in your house, you may wish to leave the mag disconnect intact. When I used to travel with children and "camp out" in cabins, I'd carry a HP with unaltered disconnect. At night the magazine was separated from the pistol, which was stored with a round in the chamber. I had the magazine.

[noonesshowmonkey]

Over the years I've owned several H.P.'s and none came with a good trigger, although some were better than others. That's the nature of the beast with these guns. A rule of thumb is that removing the magazine disconnect(safety)will immediately and automatically improve trigger pull. Another rule of thumb is that replacing the terribly strong 32 lb hammer spring with a lighter Wolff spring will reduce pull weight. Doing both at the same time converts a shitty trigger into a good one. Before you spend money on aftermarket hammers and sears and custom trigger work, make these changes first. I speak from experience after having done it the easy way and the expensive way. STP on the sear helps...

Thanks for the advice. The pistol should be making its way to me here in a bit. I'd discovered Cylinder & Slide as a result of this thread, and after perusing their shop, and then reading this post, I am glad that I didn't spend any coin on their stuff just yet. My pistol has a spur hammer, which I think I'll be trading out for the C&S reduced-bite ring hammer for the classic P35 look. Other than the ring hammer, the removal of the magazine disconnect, the addition of the other half of the safety to make it ambi, and some 15 round mags from Greg Cote LLC, I think I'm good to go. Maybe some G-10 grips. Never know. Eventually, I may send it off to get a QPQ refinish treatment. I need to shoot the damn thing first.

[yoni]

I was issued a Hi Power for a lot of years. I own 3 Hi Powers, 1 is stock other than XS Big Dots thanks to old eyes, a full house Cylinder and Slide custom job, and a Special Ops from Novak.

I love my Hi Powers and will never sell them. However CZ P09 has replaced them as my everyday carry and shooter. I just wish I could mount an RMR on a Hi Power, I hate having tack driver pistols that due to my eyes give me terrible groups at 25 meters. The single action on the P09 is better than the single action on my Hi Powers.

[gaijin]

A "69C" BHP that's an EDC.

I had Novak's mill slide and install sights. They stippled frontstrap as well.
The FS height was dictated by the carry ammo it shot best- standard pressure 115 gr. Gold Dot.

I've done the remaining work.
The top photo is with a Garthwaite hammer, I initially installed a C&S "no bite", but switched to the Garthwaite- it has a much better "trigger" with this hammer.
Chuck Warner sells a "true radius" sear (and hammer as a set). He developed the "true radius" sear jig for the 1911 and continued the idea to the P-35.
It makes a world of difference in the trigger pull; weight and break or "crispness".

Among other things I've tightened slide to frame and installed KKM barrel.
It's a 1.25" gun at 25 yds. from the bench with the GD ammo.
The trigger, while not as light as a possible with a tuned 1911, is stupid light in comparison to a stock BHP.
It's a favorite carry gun.